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Friday, October 25, 2013

Foodie Friday: Stuffed Jalapenos

OK, so I'm a little late on the stuffed jalapeno homefront. Despite my love for spicy food and all things Mexican/Tex Mex/Megzican, I had never partaken in this 8th wonder of the world. OK, maybe not the 8th wonder, but they are really good! I found a recipe here and used that as inspiration. And yes, I tried both variations. For my version, I sauteed a few strips of chopped bacon, along with half a small onion, finely diced. While the delicious smell of bacon wafts through your house, prepare the jalapenos. Mine were on the small size and I used about 12. Cut them in half lengthwise and scrape out the seeds and veins with a teaspoon.

***It is here that I shall insert a public service announcement: unless you prefer to live on the edge like me, wear gloves! Often I can get away with jalapenos, but you never know when you will get an especially spicy batch and then your hands will burn for hours. And for the record, none of the internet remedies work.***

When the bacon crisps up, throw in a little garlic, about a teaspoon of cumin and a big pinch of oregano. I also added a bit of red chile powder. Saute for another minute. Remove from heat and throw in a generous handful of chopped cilantro and about 1/2 C. of shredded cheese (cheddar, colby jack, whatever floats your boat...) Use mixture to stuff jalapenos and put on a baking sheet. The recipe calls for additional 'batons' of cheese to top each pepper, and as much as I love cheese, I left it off. I did sprinkle a small bit of shredded cheese over each because I had extra. Bake at 375 for about 15 minutes. The verdict: deeeelicious! The cream cheese version is also fabulous but when it comes to a choice involving bacon, is there really a choice? Its bacon all the way, baby!